August Ovaska/Courtesy photo

Los Alamos High School junior August Ovaska has been elected to serve as Vice President of Marketing for New Mexico DECA for the 2025-2026 academic year. August is one of four high school DECA students in New Mexico who were elected to fill the 2025-2026 state officer positions.

“This is the first time in more than a decade that a Los Alamos High School student has been elected to a State DECA Office,” commented LAHS DECA advisor, Dr. Sharon Hurley. “We are very proud of August and the dedication he exhibited throughout the entire election process.”

The election is held annually at the New Mexico Career Development Conference. Candidates are interviewed by the New Mexico DECA Advisory board, participate in mixers with voting delegates from each New Mexico DECA Chapter, and must also give a speech to the voting delegates. Additionally, each candidate must submit a resume of high school activities for review by the voting delegates.

“August is incredibly talented in marketing and business,” Dr. Hurley added. “He is an excellent fit for the Vice President of Marketing position for New Mexico DECA. August has served as our Chapter Vice President of Communications for the 2024-2025 Academic year. He excelled in this role at our local chapter, and will make great contributions next year to New Mexico DECA.”

Ovaska will represent New Mexico DECA at the International Career Development Conference being held April 26 – April 29 in Orlando, Florida, where he will not only compete in the Business Law Team Decision Making event, but will also attend the Empower Leadership Academy. The Leadership Academy is designed for newly elected state DECA officers and focuses on developing leadership skills and on training officers to create strategic plans, and increase effectiveness of communication strategies and methods.

Ovaska will travel with the New Mexico Officer Team throughout the 2025-2026 year to attend additional conferences and to visit DECA chapters throughout the state.